Improvement in wagon sheets and tents



M. M. FITZGERALD.

in Wagon-Sheet and Tent Improvement Patented AugflS, 1872..

@uusutnx;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MILAM M. FITZGERALD, OF GONZALES, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN WAGON SHEETS AND TENTS.

Specification describing a new and Improved Wagon Sheet and Tent,invented by lVIILAM M. FITZGERALD, of Gonzales, in the county ofGonzales and State of Texas.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 rep resents a perspective view,Fig. 2 a vertical transverse section, and Fig. 3 a bottom view, of myimproved Wagon sheet and tent.

Similar letters of reference indicate correspondin g parts.

The object of this invention is to supply for the use of travelers andemigrants a wagon sheet or canvass, which can, at night, be extended toform a tent around the entire wagon for the accommodation and protectionof its occupants. The invention consists in providing the ordinary wagonsheet or cover at the sides with pieces of canvas or other fabric, whichcan be let down and staked to the ground to form a tent around thewagon, and which, during daytime, or while the concern is in motion, canbe rolled up and secured at the sides of the cover to be entirely out ofthe way. The tent-sides are provided with lapels which form the ends ofthe tent when let down. I

A in the drawing represents a wagon sheet or cover, of ordinary size orshape, made of canvas or other material, and stretched over the ordinarywagon-bows, and fastened to the sides of the wagon-box by means ofbuttons or otherwise. B B are two pieces of canvas or equivalent fabricattached to the sides of the wagon-sheet A, and long enough to reach toto the ground, when let down as in Fig. 2. When not required for use theside pieces are rolled up along the sides of the cover, and secured bystraps and buckles a a, to be out of the way. Instead of being attachedto the sides of the covers separately the side-pieces B B may constituteone piece with the top of the cover A, as shown, in which case the sidesand ends I) d of the cover are separately attached to the upper sheet. 0G are lapels attached to the ends of the pieces B B to form the ends infront and rear of the wagon-tent, in the manner clearly indicated inFig. 1. These lapels are also staked to the ground, and can be securedto leave an opening for entrance and exit, as indicated. Straps andbuckles e c on the lapels serve to close the tent at the ends.

A wagon thus provided with a combined sheet or cover and tent will bevery convenient for travelers-more so, and much less expensive andcumbersome than the separate tents with poles and bars of variousdescription now required to be carried for similar protection. It willbe seen that no poles, rods, or bars of any kind need be carried forthis improved tent, and that the same can be pitched in a very shorttime, and also rolled up quickly Having thus described my invention, Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- As an article ofmanufacture, the wagonsheet A, having the two pieces of fabric B Bprovided with straps and buckles, arranged as

